Critical Praise

"Tender, bittersweet, beautifully wrought tales about love and longing, exile and loneliness."

—Amitav Ghosh, author of THE GLASS PALACE and SEA OF POPPIES

"I will never forget Sabitri, Bela, and Tara: grandmother, mother and daughter after my own heart. A lovely book."

—Maxine Hong Kingston, author of THE WOMAN WARRIOR and CHINA MEN

"Balances the ache of separation with the thrills of independence and self-discovery...Divakaruni's characteristic passion, nerve and insight into the troubled soul are here in full.” 

—The Wall Street Journal

“BEFORE WE VISIT THE GODDESS is universal --- a story of mothers and daughters, misunderstanding and sacrifice, success and independence...[A] sweet, piercing blend that --- like sugar, fruit and saffron --- forms a dazzling, memorable novel.”

—Houston Chronicle

“The always enchanting and enlightening Divakaruni spins another silken yet tensile saga about the lives of women in India and as immigrants in America…Divakaruni’s gracefully insightful, dazzlingly descriptive, and covertly stinging tale illuminates the opposition women must confront, generation by generation, as they seek both independence and connection.”

—Booklist Starred Review

“An heirloom tapestry.”

—Miami Herald